Coyote Found in Chicago Aldi Store, Safely Captured by Authorities

CHICAGO, Ill. — A coyote was discovered hiding in the produce section of an Aldi store in Chicago‘s Humboldt Park neighborhood Monday morning, prompting a swift response from local authorities. The incident occurred around 9:45 a.m. at the store located on the 800 block of North Kedzie Avenue.

Video footage captured by a shopper showed a Chicago police officer carefully working to extract the animal from a shelving unit. Initially, speculation swirled about the creature’s identity, with guesses ranging from a rat to a possum. However, the animal was soon revealed to be a coyote, which eventually emerged onto the store floor.

Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC) and Chicago police confirmed they safely took custody of the coyote. “The animal is currently at our facility awaiting transfer to our wildlife rehabilitation partner, Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation,” CACC said in a statement to NBC Chicago. “The coyote appears uninjured, but Flint Creek will conduct an assessment to confirm its health before releasing it back into the wild if deemed appropriate.”

No injuries were reported during the incident, according to Chicago police. The store remained open, and shoppers continued their routines as the situation was handled.

Experts used the incident as an opportunity to remind the public that January through March marks coyote mating season. “This often leads to increased activity and sightings as they search for mates and establish territories,” CACC stated. “While coyotes are generally not a threat to humans, it’s always best to avoid interaction and for people to secure food sources to minimize encounters.”

The unexpected sighting sparked reactions on social media, with one user, Eddie (@EddieBarstool), tweeting, “I was prepared to see him pull out a opossum or a raccoon. Did NOT expect that.”

Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation, the organization tasked with assessing the coyote’s health, specializes in caring for injured and orphaned wildlife. Their evaluation will determine whether the animal can be safely released back into its natural habitat.